1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to balers for forming cylindrical bales and more particularly to an improved twine feeding and cutting mechanism for dispensing twine onto a bale being formed and cutting the twine after the bale has been wrapped.
2. Prior Art:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,826,985, 2,667,729, 2,424,821, and 2,468,641 exemplify a twine wrapping and cutting system for cylindrical bales well known in the prior art. In essence the system includes a knife, a twine feed tube, a guard interposed between the knife and the twine depending from the tube, and a mechanism interconnected between the twine feed tube and the guard for swinging the guard away from the knife to permit the twine to snap against the knife for cutting at an appropriate time in the baling cycle. It is readily apparent that this system, though perhaps ingenious, is rather complex particularly in the mechanism interconnected between the twine tube and the knife guard for moving the guard as the twine tube moves to a given position. The costs are high in the manufacture and assembly of systems which include a complex array of multiple parts.
In an effort to reduce overall costs other twine dispensing and cutting mechanisms have been developed which are manually actuated by the driver of the tractor towing the baler. The twine tube is swung through its dispensing arc by means of a pull rope. A second pull rope is then used to actuate a knife in cutting the twine. Such "two-rope" systems are cumbersome at best.